Tribes of the Future: The After-Clan Story
by shiningBlueJay12
Summary: We all know the four Clans; ThunderClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan, and WindClan. What happens after it's all over? When the Clans evolve into something more? This is the story of those extraordinary cats, and one in particular...
1. Cat References

Cat References

** Π Thunder Tribe Π**

** Leader**

Golden Ridge - A tom that has fur that looks like shimmering gold.

**Deputy**

Frozen River - A she-cat with a light grey pelt that has a blue tint, dark green eyes.

**Medicine Cat**

Rocks Falling - A male brown tabby that has a white underbelly.

**Warriors **

Burning Fire - A tom with bright green eyes and has a pelt that looks like a fire.

Sandy Dunes - A light tan tabby she-cat with pale green eyes.

Gathering Dust - A brownish red tom with amber eyes.

Falling Water - A grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Windy Sky - A long furred dark grey tom with yellow eyes.

Night Storm - A she-cat that has a jet black pelt with a dark blue tint and grey flecks of fur along her back.

Rainy Clouds - A grey and white tom.

Swooping Bird - A black she-cat that has a white underbelly.

Jay Song - A grey tabby tom.

Smoke Rising - A smokey grey tom with splotches of ginger fur.

Ash Tree - A ginger and white she-cat.  
Apprentice: Small Pebbles

Squirrel Chaser - A lean light brown she-cat with long legs.  
Apprentice: Sticky Maple

Thistle Barrier - A tan she-cat with darker paws.

Torn Sky - A light brown tabby tom.  
Apprentice: Dropped Stone

Growing Vines - A tom with a black pelt and brown underbelly.

Growling Badger - A black tom with white spots around his eyes and few white stripes on his back.

Firm Cliff - A grey tom with darker paws and a dark line going up his spine.  
Apprentice: Lighted Cave

Forest Water - A plain light brown she-cat with small flecks of darker brown fur, originally a kittypet.

Black Bear - A black tom with a brown face and white paws having muscular shoulders.

Sour Grass - A skinny light grey and black tom.

Fallen Tree - A brown tom with a white underbelly and tail tip also having small white flecks on his paws, originally a Wind Tribe warrior.  
Apprentice: Eagle Wings

**Apprentices **

Small Pebbles - A silver colored she-cat with a long tail(dark blue eyes).  
Mentor: Ash Tree

Eagle Wings - A light brown tom with white paws and a white tail tip having hazel eyes.  
Mentor: Fallen Tree

Dropped Stone - A grey tom with short legs.  
Mentor: Torn Sky

Lighted Cave - A black she-cat that has a white paw and the rest are brown.  
Mentor: Firm Cliff

Sticky Maple - A she-cat that has a pelt the color of caramel.  
Mentor: Squirrel Chaser

**Queens **

Orange Leaf - A female with a dark orange pelt.  
Mate: Smoke Rising  
Kits: Gorse Path

Yellow Ferns - A dark grey she-cat with long fur.  
Mate: Fallen Tree  
Kits: Cave Light, Screaming Stars, Minnow Fin

Morning Sky - A pale grey she-cat.  
Mate: Windy Sky  
Kits: White Cloud, Splashing River

**Kits**

Minnow Fin - A grey tom with brown flecks in his pelt.  
Mother: Yellow Ferns  
Father: Fallen Tree

White Cloud - A long furred tom with a white pelt.  
Mother: Morning Sky  
Father: Windy Sky

Splashing River - A light grey she-cat with a medium length of fur.  
Mother: Morning Sky  
Father: Windy Sky

Screaming Stars - A dark grey tabby tom with a white underbelly and white paws.  
Mother: Yellow Ferns  
Father: Fallen Tree

Gorse Path - A tom with a thick but short ginger pelt.  
Mother: Orange Leaf  
Father: Smoke Rising

Cave light - A brown and dark grey she-cat.  
Mother: Yellow Ferns  
Father: Fallen Tree

**Elders**

Growing Mouse - A dark tanned tom missing his tail.

Bitten Branch - A tabby tom with a pelt holding many scars.

**Π Shadow Tribe Π**

** Leader**

Floating Shadow - A dark grey tom with a black underbelly.

(New)Black Hawk - A complete black tom that has a strange cream coloured underbelly and white paws.

**Deputy**

Dark Bird - A tom that is a charcoal grey.

**Medicine Cat** Cold Winds - A light grey she-cat.

**Warriors** Grazed Fields - A pretty tan she-cat tabby.

Snowy Hills - A dull white she-cat.

Ivy Roots - A pale grey she-cat.

Screaming Skies - A tom with a pelt that has grey and black mixtures in it.

Slithering Shadows - A jet black tom with dark grey tabby strikes and has amber eyes.

Lizard Scales - A ginger tom.

Gathered Berries - A dark brown tom with only a white tail tip.

Freezing Rain - A light grey she-cat.

Blue Petal - A dark grey she-cat with white paws and blue eyes.

Pointed Thorn - A tom with a brown pelt.

Rat Trap - A tom that has a messy dark brown pelt and a black tail and chin.

Mossy Path - A brown tabby she-cat.

Spiraling Branch - A pale brown she-cat.

Blooming Blades - A very dark grey tom.

Falling Limb - A tortoiseshell tom with white paws and broad shoulders.

**Apprentices**

Crisp Winds - A pale grey she-cat with flecks of ginger on her legs

**Queens**

Light Moon - A pale cream colored she-cat.

**Kits**

Snow Drifting - A completely white tom.

**Elders**

Rough Rock - A tom with many mixtures of grey in his pelt.

Toad's Jump - An oddly colored brown tom.

**Π River Tribe Π**

**Leader**

Silent River - A silver she-cat with a black tail tip.

**Deputy** Grey Fish - A tom with a dull grey pelt.

**Medicine Cat** Sweet Honey - A light golden looking she-cat.

**Warriors**

Running Trout - A lean dark brown tom.

Wet Grass - A calico she-cat with a sleek pelt.

Midnight Moon - A dark grey she-cat.

Clear Water - A very pale grey tom with a black tail tip.

Soft Ground - A light tan tom.

Sleek Road - A grey tom with a pale grey back.

Warm Breeze - A dark golden tabby she-cat.

Island Tree - A brown she-cat.

Long Grass - A grey tom with long legs.

Fast Stride - A quick white she-cat, formally a warrior from the Wind Tribe.

Ice Breaker - A pale grey she-cat with white paws and is lighter than a normal warrior.

Thorn Bush - A tortoiseshell tom with sharp claws.

Slow Turtle - A dark brown and dark grey tom with broad shoulders.

**Apprentices**

Leaping Water - A silver she-cat with long legs.

Falling Rain - A grey tabby she-cat with a white underbelly.

Rippling Water - A pale brown tabby tom.

**Queens**

Shielded Cliff - A grey she-cat with a brown spot around her right eye.

**Kits**

Sun Rising - A she-cat that has a light orange pelt.

Flowing River - A grey tom with a white muzzle.

Blocked Pond - A dark grey tom with light brown paws.

**Elders**

Broken Shell - A tom with a tan pelt that almost is white.

Vole Pelt - A tom that has a unnaturally short smokey black pelt.

White Moon - A pure white she-cat.

**Π Wind Tribe Π **

**Leader**

Salty Boulder - A tom that has a grey pelt with tiny white specks around his eyes and muzzle.

**Deputy**

Dripping Water - A tom that has a dark grey pelt and blue eyes.

**Medicine Cat**

Misty Morning - A tan she-cat dappled with white spots.

**Warriors**

Chasing Ants - A tom with a brownish red pelt and a white stripe on the face.

Fallen Apple - A tom with a dark red pelt.

Spider's Web - A white and grey tom.

Sharp Rock - A tom with a tortoiseshell pelt.

Small Stick - A light brown tom not as tall as a full grown warrior.

Slick Grass - A lean ginger she-cat tabby.

Cracked Stone - A grey she-cat tabby with dark grey stripes.

Foul Fox - A reddish she-cat with white paws.

Cougar Tracks - A large tan tom with a black chin and white underbelly. (Next to be Deputy)

Mouse Hole - A small dark brown tom.

Rabbit Trail - A she-cat with a pelt that looks like a wild rabbit.

Fresh Mud - A dark brown tom with lighter splotches of brown.

Dry Hills - A dark ginger tom.

Flooded Stream - A dark bluish grey she-cat.

**Apprentices**

Tiger Prowling - An orange tabby tom.

Twitching Whiskers - A black tom with a grey underbelly.

**Queens**

Meadow Flowers - A beautiful calico she-cat. Mate: Sharp Rock

**Kits**

Drained Nectar - An oddly dark yellow colored tom.  
Mother: Meadow Flowers  
Father: Sharp Rock

Flying Insect - A black tom with a sleek pelt.  
Mother: Meadow Flowers  
Father: Sharp Rock

Sweet Herbs - A tortoiseshell she-cat.  
Mother: Meadow Flowers  
Father: Sharp Rocks

**Elders**

Mossy Boulder - A dark grey tabby tom.


	2. Prologue

1.0 Prologue

Two cats sat by each other, a tom and she-cat. Both were grey with a white underbelly and paws. The she-cat was lean with bright blue eyes and a few scars. The tom was a tabby with bright green eyes, a badly ripped left ear, and strong muscles. They sat, staring at a starry pool surrounded by hills.

"Why didn't you tell them about the prophecy?" The tom asked, turning his head to the she-cat. There was a time when they summoned all the leaders to tell them their true Tribe names.

"Because I don't believe the cats are ready to hear it, Skywatcher," the she-cat said.

"But Starwatcher, they must hear it before its too late," Skywatcher insisted, but it didn't seem Starwatcher was going to budge.

Starwatcher straitened her back, not looking at the pool anymore, only into the distance. "Its not going to be too late, brother. I have a time planned, and that'll be when they all are apprentices to start serving their Tribes."

"Are you waiting for Grey Mist?" The tom questioned leaning forward so his sister would see him in her line of vision.

"Yes," Starwatcher replied. "She will be needed." When she was done speaking, a pale grey she-cat with a white underbelly, paws, and tail tip appeared. She had her head down and her tail dragged on the ground.

"This is a waste of my time..." she grumbled when she was close enough for the other two cats to hear.

"Welcome, Grey Mist," Starwatcher said ignoring the she-cat's words. "We have a prophecy and want you to help with it, after all, you were in a prophecy yourself."

Grey Mist snorted. "You both were also, look how well you turned out. Both mature, smart and strong. I am not needed for this. I am old, I cannot even teach a cat to fight properly." She circled around the pool to stand by Starwatcher. "My prophecy was only told I was going to be a great warrior and help save my Tribe, I succeeded. Your prophecy was about that you two were going to be watchers of the stars, you succeeded."

"It wasn't like that. _'Two cats will sacrifice their lives for their Tribes. They will become Watchers of the Stars and Skies.'_ We were also just warriors." Starwatcher said.

"And now you and Skywatcher run Star Tribe, and do wonderfully," Grey Mist said with a tad of warmth in her voice.

"But you requested to stay in the state of which you died," Skywatcher pointed out Grey Mist's age. "We will speak the prophecy to you."

"Let me speak the words," Starwatcher stepped forward. "'_A cat from each Tribe will be more powerful than their Tribe itself. The Four must be controlled. One will have more power than the rest and will have the ability to take down the other Three.'_ We will be training the most powerful, you can either join us, or train a different one and have the chance to see it be crushed beneath ours."

"Alright, fine, I will help train yours. But not because I want to, it's because I don't want to see my training go to waste," Grey Mist growled.

"A good choice," Starwatcher said. "Only one isn't an apprentice yet, but he will be soon..."


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter One

A squirming next to Screaming Stars woke him up. His sister, Cave Light was squirming, luckily, Minnow Fin was still asleep on his other side. "Why squirm?" He asked and prodded Cave Light with a paw. "The sun hadn't even started to fully rise yet!" Even his mother, Yellow Ferns still slept. His sister turned to look at him.

"I can't stand just laying here and waiting for mother to wake up! It snowed last night and I want to play in it! Will you come play with me? No one else should be awake." Her eyes lit up at her own thought. That's something he admired about his sister, she is brave and isn't afraid to get in trouble.

"Were there any drifts? Never mind, let's go play!" Screaming Stars got up with his sister and stuck out of the nursery, no one else was awake on their den. The young tom stuck his head out. The snow laying on the ground was untouched and the cold air seemed to bite at his nose. Everything was white making it beautiful. There was no other cat insight so Screaming Stars and Cave Light snuck out of the den opening.

"The only bad thing is that we will leave paw prints..." Cave Light observed kneading the ground. "At least Golden Ridge didn't put any guards out tonight, but I can see why, its freezing!" She puffed up her fur. "And when will these winds die down? They make me think an owl is going to snatch me up when I sleep!"

"You complain as much as Bitten Branch and Growing Mouse do!" Screaming Stars giggled and realized the sky was growing lighter. "If we want to play, we better do so now or else we will get scolded for blocking the den entrance."

"Ugh! I hate that rule! Let's go then!" Cave Light pushed her way past her brother and pawed at the snow. "Its cold!"

Her brother followed her, scooped some snow in his paw, then threw it at her. "Hey!" Cave Light growled shaking off her brown and dark grey pelt. Joy flooded inside of Screaming Stars, too bad they won't be able to play this often when they're apprentices. "How about we wrestle? First one to give up, loses!" He offered getting to a messy pounce position. Screaming Stars didn't give his sister a chance to respond and attacked her. They jumbled in a play fight on the ground pretending to fight like warriors. Snow soon covered their pelts.

Cave Light broke away licking at a place where her brother tore some fur. "We were wrestling, not fighting!" Guilt pawed at Screaming Stars's belly.

"I'm sorry... I guess I just got carried away..." He apologized.

Cave Light leaped on her brother. "Its ok, you were fighting like a real warrior already!" She exclaimed. They wrestled and pounced on each other before the sleepy warriors started to awaken.

"Look, its our father!" Screaming Stars said running towards Fallen Branch that had just scuffled out of the warriors' den. He jumped on his back with Cave Light behind him. "What-?"

He wasn't paying attention and let out a chuckle when he saw his kits, but his expression grew serious. "What are you doing out here? Its cold, you should be in the nursery, looks like you made a mess of the center of the clearing."

Screaming Stars looked at where he and his sister were playing. Yellow Ferns came tumbling out of the nursery followed by a tired Minnow Fin. "Where's Screaming Stars and Cave Light?" Her fur was bristling and looked over towards her mate. "What are you two doing out here? You look like barn owls!" She hurried towards her kits and grabbed Screaming Star's scruff and made Cave Light follow. "What were you doing out there alone by yourselves?" She questioned angrily when they were back in the nursery.

Screaming Stars looked down at the ground in guilt. He didn't know it'd make his mother that angry. He was just looking for fun, plus he would've been asleep for awhile if Cave Light wasn't squirming. "You will become apprentices tomorrow and I want you to act like one today so you can make a good impression on yourselves."

"But what is there to do?" Cave Light wailed. "We can't leave camp, we can't play, there's nothing else to do!" Screaming Stars nodded quickly in agreement to his sister's words. Kits aren't hardly allowed to do anything!

"Ask the elders to tell you stories," Yellow Ferns said, although she knew that was still hardly anything. "Never mind, be a kit for the last day, just please, stay out of the warriors' way, they might not be in good moods by not finding prey." Screaming Stars was surprised. His mother actually gave up on an argument. Cave Light looked over at him also surprised. Minnow Fin looked sleepy and let out a cough. Yellow Ferns looked at her other tom kit. "I'm going to take him to see Rocks Falling, be good or I'll hear about anything bad you do," she said then picked up Minnow Fin and squeezed out of the nursery entrance.

"Now what?" Screaming Stars asked turning to his sister. He was hoping they wouldn't spend a whole day sitting around doing nothing, his paws itched to go and play maybe even exercise or go talk to the actual apprentices. Except, the apprentices would all be working. 'Being a kit is boring!' He thought to himself.

"Play?" Cave Light questioned. "Or maybe even watch the patrols before they go out!" That seemed to make Screaming Stars excited. "Alright, let's go then!" He squeaked and rushed out of the nursery. Cats were watching Frozen River as she put the patrols together, she was still new after our last deputy got killed by a fox, it was a brave and noble death. Even though she is new, her patrols seem to work well. The last deputy was named Grey Mist, she was a loyal and strong warrior. She had severe wounds from a battle and heard a kit was missing knowing a fox was around. Her instincts lead her to the Shadow Tribe borders. The kit was almost there but the fox was at the border waiting. Grey Mist went there, and a Shadow Tribe patrol was too, but slowly, unaware of the danger. When she arrived, she tackled the fox knowing that this battle would be her last. The fox easily killed her, but then forgot about the kit.

"Don't think about that..." Cave Light grumbled, she must have known what Screaming Stars was thinking of.

"Alright, I want Black Bear, Fallen Branch, Torn Sky, and Rainy Clouds on a border patrol by Shadow Tribe, they've been a little on edge lately; Black Bear will lead. Squirrel Chaser, Thistle Barrier, Smoke Rising, and Ash Tree go on a hunting patrol, preferably in the thick undergrowth, take your apprentices. Sour Grass, Firm Cliff, and Forrest Water will come on a patrol with me by the Wind Tribe territory. Let's all head out." Frozen River spoke confidently. All of the patrols left quickly.

"That's all?" Screaming Stars questioned hoping for more. Being a kit was no fun, not allowed to leave camp or mess with the warriors. "Ok, this is weird coming out of me, but how about we sneak out of camp through the dirtplace tunnel and explore?"

Cave Light stood there and stared at her brother in astonishment. "Really?" She asked him. Screaming Stars shrugged and slipped out of the nursery followed by his sister. He quickly went to the dirtplace entrance and took a deep breath before plunging through it. He waited for his sister to come out of the tunnel. When she did, he lead her away from it and towards a large fallen limb. "Easy as that!" Screaming Stars said proudly. The only bad thing would be when their mother Yellow Ferns returns to the nursery and sees that they are gone. "So, how about we play?"

"I don't know. Yeah, sure. Sneaking out of the nursery to play during morning in the center of camp is fun, but definitely safer than this. I don't feel right. What if mother sees and starts to panic, alerting our Tribe?" Cave Light said in a concerned way. "I know it's not as fun, but we should spend this day relaxing. It's our last day of kithood."

The tom let out a defeated sigh. "Yeah, I suppose you're right, lets go back." They headed back through the dirtplace tunnel and in the nursery. Luckily their mother wasn't back yet. For the rest of the day the two siblings played and relaxed going to sleep easily that night.

* * *

Screaming Stars woke up with a jolt the next morning. The air was crisp promising good amounts of prey today, plus excitement was in the air. Minnow Fin, Cave Light, and Screaming Stars were going to become apprentices today. But maybe the only excitement Screaming Stars was smelling was his. No other cat in the nursery was awake yet, making him feel lonely and anxious for them to wake. He also had an interesting dream! The young tom caught his fist mouse! Although, he was hunting in a place where he's never seen or heard of. The grass was long and soft. There was no sign of snow. Birds chirped loudly and he even thought he saw a pale grey pelt few times, as if he was being watched.

While he was lost in his thoughts he heard someone stirring. Screaming Stars looked at his litter mates, none of them were awake yet and showed they hadn't moved. He sat up and looked over Yellow Ferns's belly. Splashing River was squirming away from her sibling White Cloud as he snored lightly. His complete white fur was easily seen in the dark nursery. Even Splashing River and their mother, Morning Sky, were easy to see.

"What are you doing?" Screaming Stars asked.

Splashing River looked at him. "I can't sleep anymore, I'm the only one in my litter that's going to be an apprentice today. If my first mother didn't die I wouldn't have to worry about that, but now I have to."

"Its okay! I'm going to be an apprentice along with Minnow Fin and Cave Light, plus there already are some apprentices," he said, trying to cheer Splashing River up quietly.

"But some are going to be warriors soon. Plus, I tried to talk to them the other day, they're mean! All I was going to do was ask for information to be an apprentice and they try to shoo me off then chased me!" the young she-cat complained with a wail. Morning Sky's tail flicked tiredly, trying to calm her adopted kit. Screaming Stars focused on the kit's blue eyes. Even now in the dark you can tell they're a bright blue.

"I'm bored. Waiting to become an apprentice is tiring. Minnow Fin never wants to play and is always observing everyone! Cave Light has been acting too energetic lately, she is always trying to get me in trouble when she does."

The other kit snorted. "White Cloud actually sounds normal. He's always lazy and tries to play with the warriors but always gets told to do something else. What about Orange Leaf's kit?"

"Gorse Path?" Screaming Stars asked. "He's always pestering his father and mother, he's even been trying to pester Golden Ridge lately."

"Oh that's right! Golden Ridge will assign us mentors! I don't know who I want though. Who would be really good." Splashing River asked, half to herself. "All I know is that Jay Song is always grouchy, what if one of us gets him?" She started to panic.

"Don't worry, he's still a good warrior," the young tom said. "You know, I think Black Bear would be amazing. He has such strong shoulders and always gets to go on border patrols because of it. Burning Fire, Swooping Bird, and Gathering Dust don't seem too bad. I'm even willing to take Jay Song."

Splashing River looked at her friend in astonishment at what he said. "Really? Jay Song? I think I want Night Storm, she's so beautiful and friendly! I think White Cloud has been wanting Rainy Sky as a mentor."

Screaming Stars nodded playfully. "Cave Light really wants Frozen River as a mentor. I think Minnow Fin wants Windy Sky, I can sorta see why, they both are calm and formal as it seems." His ears twitched, hearing Frozen River and Golden Ridge speaking to each other.

"Make sure the queens and all of the kits are awake. I must get the ceremony done with before the patrols get sent out," Golden Ridge said.

"Yes, my leader," Frozen River said, and the sound shuffling indicated that she bowed to him. "What if the apprentice den gets filled soon?"

"Do not worry. Some of the other apprentices may be ready to be a warrior soon, but not today," the Tribe leader said.

Screaming Stars looked over at Splashing River. His eyes grew wide with excitement and his chest swelled up with it. Even Splashing River looked excited but didn't show much of it.

"Everyone wake up," Frozen River called in the nursery and poked her head in. "Ooh, its nice in here. I'm coming in." She easily slipped in and looked around then puffed her fur up. "Finally my winter coat has grown," she mumbled to herself.

Screaming Stars bounded up to the deputy. "You should have kits of your own someday!"

The she-cat looked a bit embarrassed. "I'm not ready for a mate or kits yet, but it'd be nice to have both someday." She smiled and looked at the other sleeping cats. "Will they be angered if waken?"

Screaming Stars looked toward Splashing River who shrugged. The tom turned back around and shrugged also. The deputy seemed to take a second to think, then walked over to Yellow Ferns and put a paw on the queen's shoulder. She lightly shook her awake then did the same to the other two queens. "We will be starting soon." She said and disappeared out of the nursery. After she left, Minnow Fin, Cave Light, Splashing River, and Screaming Stars got bathed by their mothers. All of their fur was sleek and shiny. Screaming Stars was the first out of his litter to get bath. He hated getting a bath, but loved his sleek pelt. Excitement surged through him, making it hard for him to sit still. He tried to calm down by playing with the kits or playing with a moss ball, but got scolded because those actions messed his newly cleaned pelt up. Finally after being scolded many times and having to get re-bathed, Screaming Stars heard his leader's words, making the queens and kits that are ready to be apprentices appear from the nursery. The other kits poked their heads out to watch.

After everyone had gathered to the meeting, Golden Ridge addressed the Tribe. "It has been six moons. We have four kits ready to be mentored so they can become strong and loyal warriors. Screaming Stars," he began resting his strong gaze on the kit. "You have reached the age of six moons, ready to train to be a warrior. Your mentor will be..." He looked over at all of the cats. "Growling Badger, you will mentor Screaming Stars. I suspect you will teach him how to be a strong and loyal warrior, knowing what is wrong and right."

Growling Badger came out of the crowd of cats and waiting for his new apprentice to come and meet him. Screaming Stars made his way casually towards his new mentor. Even though he was terrified, he was careful not to show it. Growling Badger had always been an aggressive tom and looks so much like a badger. His yellow eyes met his apprentice's green ones. "I will not hurt you... intentionally," the warrior murmured and touched noses with the younger tom. They stepped off to the side so Golden Ridge can finish the ceremonies. Cave Light got Jay Song as her mentor, Minnow Fin actually got Windy Sky, and Splashing River is going to get mentored by Night Storm. The cats cleared, getting organized into patrols. Frozen River stayed back this time after sending them out. She later disappeared to Golden Ridge's den.

"I know you fear me, but I'm just like my brother, Black Bear," Growling Badger said to Screaming Stars. "I will train you like he would. We both were Shadow Tribe cats but joined Thunder Tribe." His apprentice nodded starting to feel less scared.

Swooping Bird strolled up calmly and tapped Growling Badger on the shoulder. They are mates, but haven't had kits yet. Others cats have said that they're just waiting, or they don't want any yet. "Make sure you don't scare him with your scars!" She teased, although he did have many scars. "How about we all go out and teach them where the borders are?"

"That'd be a good idea," Night Storm said and looked at Growling Badger. "Plus, it looks like he's about to blow for some reason."

She was right, the large tom had an angered look on his face. "I wonder why..." Screaming Stars muttered. But his apprentice knew. He wasn't very happy that the apprentice didn't even trust his own mentor yet.

"Yes, I agree," Jay Song growled prowling up. "I am not quite thrilled about getting such a peppy apprentice, I would rather have Screaming Stars or Minnow Fin." Cave Light followed behind him.

"Don't say that! You will train her just fine. You will get use to each other like Minnow Fin and I already have. That means that it'd be best if both you and Growling Badger get to know your apprentices better. Night Storm seems okay with hers," Windy Sky said walking up with his apprentice.

"Let's just go before a quarrel breaks out..." Growling Badger growled. They all followed, the apprentices all hung back with each other.

"I can't believe I got Jay Song! He's so angry already!" Cave Light complained.

"Growling Badger doesn't like me..." Screaming Stars said with a sigh while dragging his paws.

"It's because you were hoping to get Black Bear and he knew that," Splashing River said. "Growling Badger is actually wiser and stronger than his brother."

"What am I going to do about Jay Song?" Cave Light questioned sounding angry. "He's going to be angry at me all the time! He's already growled at me for directly following him..."

"Alright, we are here to show you the borders, not talk, I'm surprised you haven't even tripped yet," Jay Song growled walking beside Growling Badger. The apprentices caught up seeing the lake while they headed for the Shadow Tribe borders.

"As some of you know, we are headed for the borders beside Shadow Tribe," Growling Badger turned his head to look at them while he spoke. Screaming Stars was told Growling Badger was once a Shadow Tribe cat but joined the Thunder Tribe.

When they reached the borders, Night Storm spoke up."We are not to cross them, or else we break the warrior code," she said gazing at the scent markers. "Fresh..."

"Let's head over to the Wind Tribe borders also," Windy Sky suggested. The other warriors agreed and we headed that direction. The other apprentices started talking again but Screaming Stars didn't join in. He was lost in his thoughts and watching the lake. The ground suddenly sloped downwards, almost making him trip.

"These apprentices might be harder to train than I thought," he heard Growling Badger grumble underneath his breath to Jay Song.

"The she-cats may have an easy time, same with Windy Sky, but I believe you and I are going to have problems," Jay Song replied and glanced back at me. He leaned towards Screaming Stars' mentor to whisper something in his ear. Jay Song thought the apprentice wouldn't hear, but he did. "You will have an easier time than me. Yours has nice muscles, legs, and good senses. We should train our apprentices together sometime." This made Screaming Stars fill with joy.

Growling Badger hesitated. "I don't know. They're siblings, they might want to chat instead of train." He then turned to look at Screaming Stars then back at his friend. "I must agree with you, but Cave Light seems like she won't give up easily."

"But she will complain easily," Jay Song growled and turned away. Everyone walked silently. Screaming Stars watched his paws. The she-cats were chatting, trying to include the two toms, but they both stayed in their own worlds. His mind was drifting as he thought about hunting and fighting. 'Jay Song complimented me... What if he was wanting to be _my_ mentor?' Screaming Stars thought to himself. When they arrived at the border, Jay Song took a deep breath inhaling the scent. "The Wind Tribe scents aren't so fresh, maybe they haven't even made their way over yet." The warriors agreed to that.

"Is that a patrol over there?" Screaming Stars asked pointing a paw at a group of cats trotting by the water towards them.

"Why yes," Jay Song grunted sounding impressed when he got a better look at the cats. "Told you..." He whispered into my mentor's closest ear. Growling Badger grunted, implying, 'that doesn't mean anything.' The group of Wind Tribe approached the border cautiously. A dark ginger tom approached, followed by a white and grey tom and a dark blue-grey she-cat. "Do you want something?" The dark ginger tom asked.

"No Dry Hills, we are just showing some new apprentices the borders," Growling Badger said calmly making the cats step back.

'They must fear him...' Screaming Stars thought to himself. His mentor pointed a paw at the cats. "The head of the group is Dry Hills, the white and grey tom is Spider's Web, and the she-cat is Flooded Stream." The cats dipped their heads at the same time.

"I bet you will get get great training," Flooded Stream said with a smile. "Especially with Growling Badger," Spider's Web said quietly avoiding eye contact. Growling Badger pretended he didn't hear that and turned towards his apprentice.

"This is my apprentice, Screaming Stars." Screaming Stars smiled and stuck out a forpaw bowing. The other cats got introduced and did the same thing. The Wind Tribe cats looked at each other strangely.

"Sorry," Flooded Stream apologized. "I guess every Tribe does something different to greet."

Dry Hills bumped her shoulder with his and frowned. "I'm sorry but we must finish up the patrol and head back to our camp, nice meeting you new ones," the tom said and trotted off with the others following. Growling Badger waited a moment before turning away from the border. 'They really do fear him,' Screaming Stars thought, following his mentor right away. He turned to look at Jay Song who smirked back.

"You trust me now, I can tell," Growling Badger murmured to his apprentice. "You know I do good and will protect you if there is ever an attack with my life." His words stung, that must be how he feels about Swooping Bird. Jay Song settled on the warrior's other side as they talked about prey running and the Shadow Tribe. Screaming Stars's mind drifted again. He thought about the weather, rain threatened the beautiful day. No snow lay on the ground but it's mushy making your paws wet. The apprentice's white paws now looked brown making him hiss in disgust.

"Let's get back to camp. The wet ground is doing no good for my fur," Swooping Bird said, raising a back leg to shake it off. Growling Badger nodded and lead the cats back to camp. Screaming Stars was glad to finally have nothing wet under his paws.

"Training will be tomorrow. I train you alone," Growling Badger said and stalked off towards the fresh-kill pile. His brother Black Bear was there ripping apart a bird so he could eat it better. They laid side by side quietly chatting. His mentor must have said something making his brother stop eating just to look at him with a serious expression.

"Screaming Stars, quit staring at everything," Splashing River stood in his line of vision. "We were told to make nests in our new den."

He stood there staring at his den-mate before nodding and looking through the entrance. It seemed roomy. They crept in, knowing a cat was asleep, but didn't know which one. The pelt looked brown, maybe Eagle Wings. He pointed at the far side of the den where there were no nests. The she-cat shrugged and used the moss they grabbed to make nests. Screaming Stars's nest was right in the corner where he could peak out of and see a good part of the camp. Even though the sun was now setting and they didn't eat any prey, they laid in their nests. Splashing River's was right beside his since they got to make their nests before their siblings. He finally got comfy when he heard Splashing River's breathing slow and fell asleep himself. Being an apprentice was definitely going to be fun, but chores will have to be done later.


End file.
